Blending psychology and technology

With anxiety afflicting such high numbers at younger ages, researchers in the field are scrambling to find a solution for young anxiety sufferers. According to Michelle Newman, professor of psychology at Penn State, technology may hold the answer.

Since the early ’90s, Newman has been at the forefront of research on how such technology as computers and mobile applications could be used to prevent and treat anxiety.

These tech-based programs are typically rooted incognitive behavioral therapy — an effective form of treatment that challenges how anxiety patients think in response to situations. Through either a mobile or online platform, programs offer lessons ranging from meditation to mood journaling, as well as situational walkthroughs where patients can practice techniques.